In early 1994 a mysterious disease cropped up among domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) and spread quickly, particularly in the show circuit. It was originally called “the greenies,” but its official name is “epizootic catarrhal enteritis” (ECE). Early symptoms of the disease are vomiting followed by lethargy, diminished food intake, and a “drowsy” appearance. However, the disease is usually characterized by the sudden onset of bright green or yellowish diarrhea. The disease is believed to damage the mucosa (the delicate intestinal lining which is instrumental in absorbing nutrients and water into the body) resulting in diarrhea and excess mucous production. In severe cases there may be deep ulcerations and bleeding into the intestinal lumen. Stools can range from bright green, loose and slimy to dark red, black and tarry (possibly indicative of the presence of blood in the stool). This variation can make accurate diagnosis difficult. Additionally, mouth and stomach ulcers form in many, but not all, of the infected ferrets. Death of the afflicted animal is not uncommon. This disease is highly contagious and can be transmitted without direct contact. Currently, the disease costs ferret breeders and owners millions of dollars a year in health care costs and lost revenue.
Currently, there is no diagnostic test for ferret ECE. Instead, diagnosis is generally a process of exclusion of other disorders, i.e., differential diagnosis. Furthermore, there is no specific treatment for ECE in ferrets. Most ferrets with ECE are treated as though they have a non-specific gastrointestinal ailment by any of a number of treatment regimes. Such treatments include supportive measures such as oral, SC, or IV administration of fluids and electrolytes and oral administration of antimicrobials. If malabsorption develops, oral administration of prednisone and provision of highly digestible nutritional supplements have been tried with some success. However, the efficacy of the treatments vary from each other and from animal to animal making adequate treatment of the disease difficult often time with unsatisfactory results.
As can be seen from the foregoing, what is needed is a test for the accurate diagnosis of ECE and new methods of treatment of this disease.